Are Naim speakers worth the money


Hi all,

Just wondering if someone can answer the following questions regarding Naim loudspeakers

1. Are Naim speakers worth the asking price
2. How do they perform in relation to other top speaker brands
3. Is it possible to get better sound with non Naim speakers in a Naim system
4. Are they still revant in 21st century
5. Is soundstage flat since they are placed against wall
6. Confirm/deny whether using Naim speakers in a non Naim setup is best way to get best out of system

Thanks to all that reply, I just need to clear up a few things with a friend.
clipsal
Naim electronics are very good. The speakers, however, are not that well known. My Naim dealer did not even recommend Naim speakers. For me, I just do not like the look. Since they will be part of my furniture, I'd rather to have a pair of speakers that won't irritate my eyes.
They're like anything else.  Some people will love them, some will hate them, most will be in the middle.

When properly set up and driven, they can sound absolutely fantastic.  The best system I've ever heard was the old Naim DBL actively driven by 3xNAP500 amps.  

I've also heard Naim speakers, notably the old SBL, sound awful because they either weren't set up properly, not driven properly, or both.  

One of my favorite systems was when I had a Naim 250 driving ProAc Response 2.5s.  That combination sounded amazing - I just wish I had the space for something like that now!

As to worth, only the prospective buyer can answer that - it's far too subjective a question.  
Many die-hard Naim dealers do not carry the Naim speaker line, as only the most die-hard of Naim customers end up with Naim speakers. You will for instance find many, many owners of Naim electronics using non-Naim speakers, but vanishingly rare numbers of people who use Naim speakers without Naim electronics. Maybe two!

I have heard quite a few of the Naim speakers-but none of the current Ovator range. I even ran their DBLs both actively with six power amps and passively with two, which was at times quite a thrill ride. 

But all of the non-DBL speakers (NBL, Credo, Intro, SBL, SL-2) I heard had too much coloration and wafer-thin sound staging to appeal to my tastes. 

When I got the DBLs I was using some Sonus Faber Extremas-there were many things about these most beautiful speakers that I missed when I started using the DBLs-the organics of midrange tones for instance. But the DBLs rocked like a mo-fo and on most types of music were a gripping listen, replacing cerebral beauty with visceral impact. 

Replacing the Naim amplification of very high quality tubes I thought brought out the best of the DBLs. 

The DBLs occasionally change hands for circa $3500, which is a big step down from the $25,000 retail price. 
Yes Naim speakers are very good sounding stuff and worth the money. As good as any high quality speakers and with that amazing Naim timing.
I haven't seen Naim speakers in a store since the early 1990's. I almost forgot they still make them.